Which audio book should I listen to next?
July 10, 2021 3:54 PM Subscribe
Just finished listening to the astonishing 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' and the frightful 'Empire of Pain'. Considering 'Hamnet', 'Razorblade Tears', 'The House of Mirth'... What have you listened to lately that you'd recommend? I'm woefully behind in Sci-fi ('Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe' is my sole excursion) so good chewy sci-fi recommendations appreciated.
NK Jemisin's The Fifth Season--it's the first of the Broken Earth trilogy, and all three are amazing reads.
posted by correcaminos at 4:25 PM on July 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by correcaminos at 4:25 PM on July 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
I've been reading Cryptonomicon for the past month. I'm reading, not listening, so I can't vouch for the audiobook myself. This book is SO good, but it's 1000 pages long and extremely dense so I only do a chapter at a time. I really really like it but I have to concede that it would be going faster if someone were reading it to me.
posted by phunniemee at 5:36 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 5:36 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
A Memory Called Empire/A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine read by Amy Landon
Ancilary Justice/Ancillary Sword/Ancillary Mercy/Provenance by Anne Leckie read by Adjoa Andoh
Three Body Problem series is very chewy and a little disturbing, I've only read the first two and I may not continue with it. Your mileage may vary. By Cixin Liu translated by Ken Liu read by Luke Daniels
posted by typetive at 5:54 PM on July 10, 2021 [6 favorites]
Ancilary Justice/Ancillary Sword/Ancillary Mercy/Provenance by Anne Leckie read by Adjoa Andoh
Three Body Problem series is very chewy and a little disturbing, I've only read the first two and I may not continue with it. Your mileage may vary. By Cixin Liu translated by Ken Liu read by Luke Daniels
posted by typetive at 5:54 PM on July 10, 2021 [6 favorites]
I really enjoyed the audiobook versions of both The Martian and Hail Mary (both by Andy Weir). Sci fi but grounded in real science.
The full cast recording of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is very good too.
posted by lizifer at 6:02 PM on July 10, 2021 [6 favorites]
The full cast recording of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is very good too.
posted by lizifer at 6:02 PM on July 10, 2021 [6 favorites]
Seconding Wayfarers, but first Murderbot. Most of them are novellas, which kinda feels like a waste if you're using credits, but they are worth credits, cash, or waiting on a library hold.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:16 PM on July 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 6:16 PM on July 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
+1 for the audio book of The Martian, it's one of my favorites, for Sci Fi. I haven't read the books or listened to the audiobooks, but I LOVED The Expanse (the TV show and am considering diving into the books). I also really enjoyed Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Not Sci Fi, but based on the other books you enjoyed I think you might like it.
posted by pazazygeek at 6:22 PM on July 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by pazazygeek at 6:22 PM on July 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
I haven’t listened to The Expanse audiobooks, but I’ve read them all, and the fan community adores Jefferson Mays’ reading of all the main-series novels (there’s also novellas, but so far they have different readers who are less good).
Mefi’s Own jscalzi has written a lot of well-regarded sci-fi, and there are audiobooks. Also can’t vouch for the audiobooks, but the books are fun! (Old Man’s War etc, also The Collapsing Empire etc).
If the Lady Astronaut books are available as audiobooks (I am not sure) I’d rate them highly too.
posted by Alterscape at 7:43 PM on July 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Mefi’s Own jscalzi has written a lot of well-regarded sci-fi, and there are audiobooks. Also can’t vouch for the audiobooks, but the books are fun! (Old Man’s War etc, also The Collapsing Empire etc).
If the Lady Astronaut books are available as audiobooks (I am not sure) I’d rate them highly too.
posted by Alterscape at 7:43 PM on July 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Since you loved The House of Mirth, I would go straight on to The Age of Innocence, or (not quite as famous as those two but in my view just as good, and more political) The Custom of the Country.
posted by escabeche at 7:46 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by escabeche at 7:46 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Came in to specifically recommend audiobook versions of The Broken Earth trilogy and Imperial Radch. The latter in particular has some vocab that I found way easier to listen to than read.
I’ve also been enjoying some early Le Guin in audio format.
One Hundred Years of Solitude also leads me to suggest Murakami, which I like in audio format a lot. Killing Commendatore was the last one I listened to.
posted by supercres at 8:50 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I’ve also been enjoying some early Le Guin in audio format.
One Hundred Years of Solitude also leads me to suggest Murakami, which I like in audio format a lot. Killing Commendatore was the last one I listened to.
posted by supercres at 8:50 PM on July 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Love in the Time of Cholera, by the same author (Gabriel García Márquez). If you enjoyed One Hundred Years of Solitude, you will enjoy Love in the Time of Cholera; it is (in my entirely personal opinion) equally as astonishing and evocative.
For sci-fi specifically, H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Island of Dr. Moreau are all brilliant whether they're read or listened to.
posted by underclocked at 12:41 AM on July 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
For sci-fi specifically, H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Island of Dr. Moreau are all brilliant whether they're read or listened to.
posted by underclocked at 12:41 AM on July 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you enjoy spy fare, many of John le Carré's audiobooks are narrated by Michael Jayston, who does an excellent job with them.
Colin Thubron's travel writing is excellent, and most of his books have been recorded, though with different narrators.
I've been reading Cryptonomicon for the past month. I'm reading, not listening, so I can't vouch for the audiobook myself
I've read Cryptonomicon with my eyes and with my ears, and enjoyed both. The William Dufris narration is pretty good, but he puts on an exaggerated hick accent for one of the main characters' speaking voices, which I find to be grating. YMMV.
posted by myotahapea at 4:57 AM on July 11, 2021
Colin Thubron's travel writing is excellent, and most of his books have been recorded, though with different narrators.
I've been reading Cryptonomicon for the past month. I'm reading, not listening, so I can't vouch for the audiobook myself
I've read Cryptonomicon with my eyes and with my ears, and enjoyed both. The William Dufris narration is pretty good, but he puts on an exaggerated hick accent for one of the main characters' speaking voices, which I find to be grating. YMMV.
posted by myotahapea at 4:57 AM on July 11, 2021
If the Lady Astronaut books are available as audiobooks (I am not sure) I’d rate them highly too.
They are an Audible exclusive apparently, but they are available there and are read very well by the author herself. One of my favorite narrator experiences in the past few years.
posted by Pryde at 7:36 AM on July 11, 2021
They are an Audible exclusive apparently, but they are available there and are read very well by the author herself. One of my favorite narrator experiences in the past few years.
posted by Pryde at 7:36 AM on July 11, 2021
Children of Time is a good audiobook in the sci-fi category.
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:33 AM on July 11, 2021
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:33 AM on July 11, 2021
Emily St. John Mandel’s “Station Eleven,” read by Jack Hawkins. CW: pandemic (Georgia 'flu). End of the world as we know it . . . but basically optimistic.
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:30 AM on July 11, 2021
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:30 AM on July 11, 2021
His Dark Materials Series
(beginning with The Golden Compass)
is an epic trilogy with full cast of voice actors. Epic story and a fun listen.
It's definitely on the Sci-Fi side involving traveling into parallel dimensions and some slightly rebellious ideas around god and soul.
posted by jander03 at 10:48 AM on July 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
(beginning with The Golden Compass)
is an epic trilogy with full cast of voice actors. Epic story and a fun listen.
It's definitely on the Sci-Fi side involving traveling into parallel dimensions and some slightly rebellious ideas around god and soul.
posted by jander03 at 10:48 AM on July 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
Came here to say Murderbot. Murderbot. Murderbot. Like for reals. Kevin R. Free is an amazing narrator and the Murderbot books are lovely.
posted by teleri025 at 3:16 PM on July 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by teleri025 at 3:16 PM on July 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by BoscosMom at 4:07 PM on July 10, 2021 [7 favorites]